


Trouble Sleeping

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2014-04-17
Packaged: 2018-01-19 18:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1480384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Effie's first night sleeping in 12.     Haymitch has to get used to another person in his house and she has her own demons to deal with.  This would follow my story called Relocation</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trouble Sleeping

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Effie went up to the guest room her first night in 12. Haymitch was trying to go to sleep but the fact that someone else was in his house his body couldn’t relax. He got up to go to the bathroom and walked past Effie’s door. He heard a sound coming from her room that sounded part whimper, part choking.

He knocked on the door but got no response. He tried the doorknob and it was locked. He began pounding on the door screaming that he was going to break it down. Finally he kicked the door in and Effie sat up in bed frightened, confused and with what looked like a mouth guard wedged between her teeth. 

She removed the guard from her mouth and her earplugs. “Is the house on fire? Are we in danger?

“No. I thought you were choking to death.

Effie blushed. “Oh, I scream a lot when I have nightmares. They insist I put this in my mouth in displaced housing or I’ll be removed.

“Remove you? It’s displaced housing.

“You can’t disturb people by screaming.

“Didn’t you hear me pounding on the door?

She showed him the earplugs. “State of the art. A lot of people fight in displaced housing. I don’t like to hear it.

“So people can fight but they threaten you with eviction?

‘Well, they don’t fight after ten o’clock. Effie said. I scream after ten.

Haymitch sighed. “Okay, I don’t want you to have that stupid thing in your mouth. If you need to scream…..scream. You’ve heard me yell plenty of times.

“But this is your home. I don’t want to disturb you or your neighbors.

“Katniss and Peeta? I hear them scream too. It’s not a big deal. “I’ll have the door fixed tomorrow.

“Good night Haymitch.

“Good night.

He went back to his room and was awake for a long time. About an hour later he heard the choking sound again. He got up and went into Effie’s room. She had the damn thing in her mouth again. He shook her awake. She jumped up startled.

“I told you I don’t want you using this thing. You could kill yourself.

“Haymitch, I’ve been using it for months. It’s perfectly safe. I just gag a lot.

“I don’t want to hear that sound again. Don’t put it in. He insisted.

He went back to his room and sure enough half an hour later he heard the choking sound.

He stormed down the hallway She didn’t put her earplugs in so she heard him coming she removed it just as he came into the room. He shook his head and picked her up. 

“What are you doing? She squealed.

“Relocating you.

He carried her into his room and unceremoniously plopped her on the bed.

“You’re going to sleep in here. He said.

“Are you moving to the guest room? Effie asked.

“No. I’m sleeping next to you so I can make sure you’re breathing.

She frowned. “Haymitch I can’t sleep without it. I’m on my last warning. I don’t want to get thrown out. The building I’m in is pretty safe. There are worse ones.

He sighed and climbed in the bed next to her. “I thought you were going to consider living here in 12.

“I don’t know Haymitch. What would I do here?

“What are you doing in the Capitol? At least here you have friends. Friends who won’t make you wear an Avox gag.

She smiled. “That’s very sweet but I can’t sleep in the same bed with you.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Haymitch said.

No, but it would be different. It would mean more. .This is your home, your bed. It would be very intimate.

He ran his fingers through her hair. “That doesn’t bother me and I can’t listen to you choking. It disturbs me.

“I’ll move to Katniss’s house tomorrow. She said.

He shook his head. “No. Effie we can share this bed as friends. Just friends if that’s what you want. We go to sleep, we wake up. If either one of us has a nightmare we….do what feels natural.

“Haymitch….

“Effie, I’m tired. Let’s just go to sleep.

Effie grabbed a pillow and moved to the far side of the bed. She fell asleep in minutes and he dozed off shortly after that. Just before sunrise she started screaming.

“No….please don’t….I don’t know where they are…. I don’t know.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. She started flailing in the bed. She slapped him in the face and pushed him out of the bed. The sound of him falling on the floor woke her up. She leaned over the bed and saw him on the floor.

“Haymitch…I’m so sorry….Did I hurt you?

“You got a hell of a right hook Sweetheart.

Effie turned bright red. She grabbed her pillow and said. “I’m going back to the guest room.

He grabbed her arm as she walked past him. “Effie don’t go. Do you feel better?

“What?

“Do you feel better that you finally hit someone back?

She frowned. “You are not the person I wanted to hit.

“I know but….do you feel better?

She smiled slightly. “A little bit.

“Good. Now get back in this bed.

“I don’t want to hurt you again.

“I don’t think you will, at least not today. Let’s just try to get some sleep. 

She climbed next to him and he put his arms around her.

“Haymitch you said…..

“Friends….just friends. I’m not holding my knife, I need something in my hands or I’ll be screaming.

“Haymitch, I haven’t let a man hold me since I got out of prison.

“Is there something you want to talk about? He asked.

She sighed. “Want to talk about?? No. 

He let her go and laid on his back. “All right. I won’t touch you.”

She was on her side with her back to him. A few minutes later she rolled over put her head on his chest. She said. “Put your arm around my shoulder but don’t hold me too tight.

“Are you sure? He asked.

“No….but…..it used to feel natural. Let’s see if it still does.


End file.
